Mitch Kasprick is now the “Westdale Curmudgeon”
Odds and Ends, Thoughts and Questions, from this past week in hockey –
Just so there’s no confusion when I’m spewing my bias, I am a fan of the Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, Manitoba Moose, Winnipeg Ice, and all Team Canada Hockey teams.
I am NOT a fan of Gary Bettman or as I call him, Count Chocula. I am a big believer in the 7Ps. You’ve been warned.
You can listen to a more in depth audio version here >>> Audio Version
1. NHL: The NHL trade deadline is this Friday at 2 pm Manitoba time. The charts at the top of the page show the Jets’ current draft currency as well as their projected cap space at the trade deadline. The cap space is fluid so I will update it every week. As of today, the Jets have approximately 4.6 million available cap space.
TSN insider Pierre LeBrun confirmed that the Winnipeg Jets have talked to the San Jose Sharks about Timo Meier but New Jersey, Vegas, and Carolina are the front-runners to acquire him but it is a moot point as he was traded to New Jersey on Sunday night.
2. Jets: Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse for the Winnipeg Jets they have a week where they went 1-3-0 and did not score an even-strength goal for NINE straight periods to end the week. Actually, the Jets only have 9 even-strength goals in the month of February. I find that hard to stomach and so did the fans that booed them off the ice yesterday afternoon. The Jets are in a free fall right now and I’m not sure what the solution is. Their record now sits at 35-24-3 and they currently sit in the 1st wildcard spot but have lots of company after going 3-5-0 this month and letting a lot of teams back into the race.
3. Jets: Players like Keven Stenlund, Karson Kuhlman, Saku Maenalanen, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, and Sam Gagner that were ok earlier in the year when called upon have been absolutely useless in the past two months and now is the time when we need real hockey players, not a bunch of castoffs and waiver wire pick-ups. I will readily admit a couple of them fooled me but my reality has sunk in. May as well add Adam Lowry and Morgan Barron. Bad stretches happen to every player but not all at once. This is unbelievable. You can add 1 more game to the totals below.
4. Jets: Considering the funk this Jets team is in I am not looking forward to seeing Connor McDavid twice this week.
5. Jets: When Mason Appleton is in your top six you know it’s time for a couple of trades. I like Appleton on Lowry’s line but this is a guy that was struggling to get icetime on a second-year expansion team. Let that marinate for a few minutes. Appleton played 15:17 on Sunday and I didn’t even notice him.
6. Jets: POLL QUESTION
How many trades will Kevin Cheveldayoff make before the NHL Trade Deadline? Total Voters: 99
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7. Jets: The Winnipeg Jets are ranked #3 in the NHL with shots that miss the net. Does this stat surprise anyone?
8. ICE: The Winnipeg ICE are still holding the #1 position in the latest Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2022-23 season. It looks like it will be Winnipeg and Quebec battling for that #1 spot all season. The ICE have won 10 straight and are currently 47-7-1.
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings – Week 20
as of Feb. 22
1. Winnipeg ICE (44-7-1-0)
2. Quebec Remparts (44-7-1-2)
3. Seattle Thunderbirds (41-9-1-1)
4. Gatineau Olympiques (36-12-4-2)
5. Halifax Mooseheads (38-8-4-3)
6. Sherbrooke Phœnix (38-12-3-2)
7. Kamloops Blazers (36-10-4-2)
8. Ottawa 67’s (39-11-2-2)
9. London Knights 39-14-1-0)
10. Windsor Spitfires (37-12-4-1)
9. Jets: Adam Lowry’s goalless drought is now at 33 games and counting. UNACCEPTABLE. NO EXCUSES. UNACCEPTABLE.
10. Jets: I see Cole Smurfetti is injured again. Nobody can ever pinpoint where and when he gets hurt. It seems like any hit and he’s out and that’s what happens when an undersized center is forced to play on the wing. There is no doubt he is a skilled player but there’s a lot to be said about durability as well. Perfetti isn’t far enough into his NHL career to have missed so many games due to injury. Actually, you can put David Gustafsson and Nik Ehlers in the same category. What’s up with David Gustafsson? This guy must be made of glass. The “Gus bus” is still in the shop for repairs.
Here’s the update on #NHLJets HC Rick Bowness on F Cole Perfetti, who will be likely be sidelined for at least the remainder of the regular season. https://t.co/h21e8YjLNL
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebesWorld) February 24, 2023
11. Jets: Chevy made a much-needed move on Saturday trading next year’s 2nd round pick to Nashville for forward Nino Niederreiter but it made me wonder if this was already in the works or a reaction to the Cole Perfetti injury. Either way, it was a solid move but not even close to enough.
I guess the “Insiders” missed this one with Nino Niederreiter going to the Jets … This trade makes me wonder if this was always in the works or a reaction to the Cole Perfetti injury? https://t.co/00xqaRM3JB
— Westdale (formerly Motown) Curmudgeon (@WpgSportsTalk) February 25, 2023
12. Jets: POLL QUESTION
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13. Jets: There was a time I believed this Winnipeg Jets team was built for the playoffs but I think that ship has sailed. BOOOOO. We still have a handful of guys that can play the type of game needed in the playoffs like Pierre-Luc Dubois, Adam Lowry, Morgan Barron, Brenden Dillon, Dylan Dylan Samber, Josh Morrissey and maybe a couple of others if they show up. I’m a little concerned about Kyle Connor, Cole Perfetti, Nikolaj Ehlers, Sam Gagne, Neal Pionk, and possibly Dylan DeMelo. This is based on the current Jets roster but it could look much different after the trade deadline*.
*The addition of Nino Niederreiter should help, he is a big body that plays a heavy game.
14. Jets: My weekly question for Rick Bowness, Kevin Cheveldayoff, or Mark Chipman.
This is a question for Bones. Who is on your wish list when it comes to trade deadline acquisitions and is there anybody on your old team (Dallas) that you would like who could be available?
15. Jets: Special Teams: Rule of thumb. Have the two red numbers (PK and PP) total at least 100% when added (as your minimum).
- PP: 14th at 21.50% up from 21.10%
- PK: 2nd at 84.70% up from 84.00%
- FO: 24th at 48.40% up from 48.00%
16. Jets: Goaltending:
- Conner Hellebuyck: 26-18-1 … 2.46 GAA … .923 SV% … 3 shutouts
- David Rittich: 9-6-0 … 2.47 GAA … .911 SV%
Sorry but I am almost sold on the blow it up. How many guys do you have to bring in to get the current players to up their compete. I get the feeling some want to be moved. If you wait till next year the returns on some guys will be small. You trade them by Friday you will get a lot more. The speed and skill can’t fight through the late Year application of the rules. Same as last year. We really need a new alpha dog like Buff to hold guys accountable. The coaches and management don’t seem to.
Hey … Thanks for reading … I addressed the rebuild in the audio version
I thought Ehlers was our man with the glass jaw who seems to be banged up and out a lot every year. But now we have Cole Noprofetti who has secured a solid first place in the glass jaw category with the fragility of a FIFA soccer player. In classic Jets fashion year after year, our beloved Jets are seemingly headed for the Holy Grail cup and give you some play-off hope up until Christmas. Then shortly after, they fold like a cheap suit and struggle for even the last wild card spot and are plagued by the annual curse where the Jets Top Guns crash and burn.
Hey Hart … I actually have a little more hope for this group because of this coaching staff BUT we’ll see soon enough … I still have hope
Our Jets have been in a downward spin since the all star break. I was really pumped when we shot out of the gate for the first half of the season, but was it all smoke and mirrors? Our power play is predictable and as of late, our big guns have turned to stone. Sometimes you just have to SHOOT THE DAMN PUCK!! I’m starting to wonder if we’re now considered the free spot on the bingo card.
Hi Les … Nice to hear from you … Not sure it was smoke and mirrors … They did play some good hockey …. BUT the overpassing and especially on the PP drives me crazy